“Solar Entrepreneurs” Bring Light and Hope to Rural India

Fear, frustration, and hopelessness—these are the common symptoms of the nearly 1.3 billion people who live in energy poverty without access to power. After experiencing these conditions firsthand in rural India, Great Energy Challenge grantee Ajaita Shah launched Frontier Markets, a last-mile distribution company that brings clean energy to rural villages in Rajasthan, India. Frontier Markets partners with brick-and-mortar retailers to sell solar technologies, including solar lanterns, streetlights, and home lighting kits.

To empower women in these communities, Frontier Markets created the Solar Saheli program, which has transformed a thousand local women into solar entrepreneurs.

“Solar Entrepreneurs” Bring Light and Hope to Rural India

Fear, frustration, and hopelessness—these are the common symptoms of the nearly 1.3 billion people who live in energy poverty without access to power. After experiencing these conditions firsthand in rural India, Great Energy Challenge grantee Ajaita Shah launched Frontier Markets, a last-mile distribution company that brings clean energy to rural villages in Rajasthan, India. Frontier Markets partners with brick-and-mortar retailers to sell solar technologies, including solar lanterns, streetlights, and home lighting kits.

To empower women in these communities, Frontier Markets created the Solar Saheli program, which has transformed a thousand local women into solar entrepreneurs.